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Lioness is returning for a third season - but is every cast member coming back?
Created by Taylor Sheridan, the hit Paramount+ series is a spy thriller that follows the leader of a CIA team that enlists female operatives - known as Lionesses - to go undercover in the war on terror.
The first two seasons followed Joe (Zoe Saldaña) as she recruited Cruz (Laysla De Oliveira) and Josie (Genesis Rodriguez) to go undercover. A season 2 mission put the team at risk that nearly ended in a group sacrifice.
Coming off the difficult mission that resulted in several injuries, Joe returned to D.C. and reunited with her husband, Neal (Dave Annable).
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"If I was in Neal's shoes, I don't know if I would stay, if I would be this accepting," Saldaña told Entertainment Weekly in July 2026. "And that's the tension that Joe always has to keep at home between her and Neal. He's promising her that he's gonna be there, but the question is, can she be there?"
Season 3 will follow Joe as she balances her personal and professional life. In an action-packed trailer released ahead of the premiere, she reminds her kids, "I'm a soldier. And a soldier's job is to fight."
With help from CIA deputy director Westfield (Michael Kelly) and her boss and mentor Kaitlyn (Nicole Kidman), Joe will face a new set of challenges.
"There's just so much that is constantly being asked of Joe," Saldaña said in her interview. "I had various conversations with Taylor in terms of where he was gonna take it, and I really am so happy and so proud of the direction that he eventually took for Joe. It was very demanding, I'm not gonna lie. [Laughs] And I didn't even know if I was gonna be able to pull it off. But Joe and the team deserved so much more from me, and so I really wanted to step up to the best of my abilities - and I hope I did."
Keep scrolling to see who is - and isn't - returning for season 3:
Zoe Saldaña
Saldaña has starred as Joe since the show premiered on Paramount+.
Laysla De Oliveira
De Oliveira is back as Cruz in season 3.
Dave Annable
Lioness has featured Annable as Neal since season 1 of the hit show.
Jill Wagner
Wagner will be front and center when Lioness returns.
LaMonica Garrett
Garrett will also be back in the role of Tucker.
James Jordan
Jordan has played Two Cups on the show.
Austin Hébert
Hébert has been on the show in the role of Randy.
Jonah Wharton
Wharton, meanwhile, plays Tex on Lioness.
Stephanie Nur
Nur hasn't played Aaliyah since season 1 of Lioness.
Nicole Kidman
Kidman is coming back as Kaitlyn.
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Morgan Freeman
Season 3 will show Freeman returning as Edwin.
Thad Luckinbill
Luckinbill's Kyle will be back on Lioness in season 3.
Michael Kelly
Kelly will reprise his role as Byron.
Genesis Rodriguez
Rodriguez has played Josephina since season 2 and is expected to return.
Ian Bohen
Bohen is joining season 3 as Grady, who is "a U.S. Army Delta Force operator and K9 handler."
